


i don’t want to loose you too

by orphan_account



Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: #JJandKie, #Jiara, #after john b and sarah go missing, #cuties, #flashbacks to middle school too, #ily pope but kiara and jj are meant to be, #im bored so here’s a cute fic hehe, #kiara had panic attacks sometimes and jj helps, #kie is a queen, #lil angsty, #maybe some sarah and jb too, #mostly fluffy, #postseason1, #these two are my literal babies, #they find out jb and sarah are ok, #would prolly die for them, F/M, jj is so in love with kiara, kiara is so in love with jj
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24123439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: JJ’s secretly been in love with Kie since they were 13. Even if he doesn’t want to admit it to himself.Kiara’s loved JJ for two summers, even if she doesn't know quite how to deal with it.Things are a little messy after John B and Sarah disappear, but maybe when things are messy people come together?
Relationships: JJ & Kiara (Outer Banks), JJ/Kiara (Outer Banks)
Comments: 39
Kudos: 245





	1. it’s chaos, darling

_Kie-_

Kie doesn’t cry that night. She’s too numb.

The pain is a little too much and honestly she doesn’t think she has the energy after the day they just had.

For heavens sake she just got released from police custody an _hour_ ago, after she helped JJ get the boat and the food for JB, with all the driving around and even the fight she had with Pope made her head hurt-and _oh my god_ there was the _kissing..._

Her heart hadn’t stopped aching since the moment they heard the little radio on the Phantom go silent. 

And _fuck_ it hurt so bad.

She had never felt something as painful as this very moment, when her heart felt like it was being shattered. 

_it’s okay._ She thinks. It’s normal to feel heartbroken after you _loose your best friends._

At the very thought Kie buries her head in the her pillow and pulls the comforter up over her. 

She manages to rack up a few sobs and lets the silence sink in as she breaks.

”Kiara?” 

It’s her mother in the doorway. Her voice is so much softer than normal and she resists the urge to throw the pillow from under her at her mother, drenched in tears and everything. 

Instead she just lets her body shake as her mother rubs her back, and she’s _so so angry_ but she’s grateful she’s there. 

“I’m so sorry Kiara. I’m _so sorry.”_ she whispers softly.

Kie has two panic attacks that night and feels utterly trapped in her body as she breathes through them. 

She wishes she had someone here to calm her and even though Popes lips were the last she had kissed and John B. has been on her mind all night because of his disappearance, JJ is the one who comes to mind. Strong and sturdy. Her rock, and maybe for a split second, she lets her mind wonder if there’s something more there. 

JJ is the last thing she thinks of before she sleeps. 

She wakes up to the golden mid-day sun in her bedroom window. 

_God. How long has it been?_

According to her phone shes been asleep for 12 hours and it’s already past 1:00 in the afternoon. 

Her heart is still heavy. She almost just wants to run, far far away. Maybe even go to the Chateau, simply because it’s familiar.

She’s surprised one of her parents didn’t try to wake her and just ends up guessing they didn’t want to bother her after her rollercoaster of a night. 

Her mind then travels to her two best friends. One of them who she had just kissed and clung too yesterday and _god, she had to deal with whatever happened with that._

She calls Pope on the home phone and he answers after three rings.

“Kie” He sighs. “Hey.” 

“Hey Pope. Sorry if I worried you, I just woke up.” She’s revealed to hear his voice, but she feels a little guilty wishing it was JJ’s instead. 

_Something_ stirred in her last night that had to do with a certain blonde haired boy, but there was no time for that right now. 

“It’s fine.” His voice sounds tired, a little sick almost. She’s sure she doesn’t sound much better. “JJ is still sleeping. We had a rough night to say the least.” 

Kie vividly remembers Hayward offering to let JJ stay with them after her parents said no. There was no way they were letting a boy stay with her, despite the circumstances. Now she wishes he could have been there to help her through the night...

“Me too.” She pauses. “Hey look, I don’t know how much longer it’s going to be before I have another meltdown. I think maybe...I think-we should you know? All be together, you, me and JJ.” Kie let’s out a sigh to try and cover up the tears. “I need the pouges.”

“Me too.” He answers. “There hasn’t been a minute thats gone by when I haven’t thought of John B, But my dad is never going to let me leave here, I’m grounded.” 

A sigh leaves her lips. “What about JJ?”

“JJ could use you after the night he had.” He said.

That did something to her stomach. She’s not sure why.

“Shit Kie. I have to go, but come over in an hour or so if you want. I have to work but maybe we could... talk soon?” 

She knows _exactly_ what he wants to talk about. 

“Sure. I’ll see you round, Kay?” 

“Kay, bye”

She hangs up the phone and decides to shower and change out of her clothes from yesterday before she heads down the tunnel of thoughts that her brain wants to go down. 

She gets out of the house easier than expected, her parents understanding it’s probably better for her to be with her friends. After all, they were the only ones who really understood. 

She decides it’s the one thing she and her parents can agree upon. 

Kie’s hair is still damp when she shows up to Hayward’s, it’s a little darker inside than normal. The vibe of everything is off.

She knocks and Hayward answers, he doesn’t say much, just pulling her in for a quick hug. 

He looks sad. 

JJ is sitting on the counter when she walks into their shop. She’s seen JJ after countless fights, beat up and punched, she can’t even count the amount of times JJ has busted his lip, but she had never seen him so heartbroken before. 

She speed walks to the counter and he notices her as they both reach out to each other and wrap themselves in a tight hug. 

She sighs and the tears come again, but some of them are tears of relief because his arms feel so comforting around her and for a second she’s safe. 

“Kie.” He sighs. “Don’t cry. You’ll make me cry and i’m not a pretty crier.” 

She playfully punches him because only JJ can make jokes in situations like this. 

Pope comes out a few moments later wearing an apron and Kie hugs him, wiping away her tears as he sheds some too. It reminds her of when she hugged him and sobbed after the radio went silent. 

“What are you guys gonna do?” He asks. Picking up a broom from the corner.

JJ shrugs. 

“I kinda want to go to the Chateau.” Kie says suddenly, quiet almost. 

Pope gives her a questioning look. 

She shrugs. “It’s always been a safe place, I don’t know.” 

“We’ll, I was thinking of crashing there anyways. Just until, I figure... everything out.” JJ says. 

Kies heart crushes a little more when she thinks of JJ’s dad. 

“JJ, you know you can stay here.” Pope says, giving him a look. 

“Or with me! I’ll get you in through my window if I have too.” Kie says, she tries to sneak a small smile in. 

Hayward’s yelling at Pope a couple seconds later and he rolls his eyes as he gets back to work. “Sorry I’m not coming. It’s probably best I work anyways...to keep my mind off things.” 

Kiara can tell he is hurting and she wishes she could do more, but she just gives him a small smile. It will have to do for now.

JJ’s outside when she turns to leave and a part of her is hoping that he isn’t trying to “give her and Pope space” because of the whole _we kissed each other_ thing. It probably is, and it isn’t helping. She’s already so confused and overwhelmed and just simply doesn’t have time for-

“Kie we should..we need to talk-about the _thing.._ I know it’s probably really really bad timing but I just think we should.” Pope says. He’s red when he says it too. 

“I know.” She says, she looks down at her shoes.“But, just not now. You have work and, I just don’t think I can handle this right now. I’m sorry.” 

He nods and she gives him one more sympathetic smile before she shuts the door behind her and heads towards the blonde boy waiting on the red bike. 


	2. these feelings are hard to hide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading my story :) My chapter got deleted like twice, so sorry it took me awhile to upload! Drop a comment if you like it! Also! I’m not sure what fanfic wrote about Kie and chamomile tea, but I thought it was cute so I put it in mine too <3

_Kie-_

Kie thinks about Pope on the ride to the Chateau and honestly is so hard to even remember his name when she can feel JJ’s body against hers on the bike and her arms wrapped around him as the cool wind brushes against her skin and flows through her hair. 

She’s just frustrated with Pope and wishes that the kiss had just never happened. Because, maybe in the moment it might have soothed some of her anxiety and she knows she hurt his feelings, she knows. But she doesn't want him as more than a friend. 

“Pretty quiet back there.” JJ says as they pull onto John B.’s dirt road.

“Just thinking.” She says back. 

She just lets her cheek rest on the muscle of JJ’s shoulder. _It isn’t weird,_ she tells herself, because JJ is her best friend and they did stuff like that.

She sighs. Kie will have to tell Pope how she feels, She’ll have to somehow cope with the fact that her two best friends are missing (presumably dead) and she’ll even have to deal with whatever the fuzzy feeling she’s getting with JJ means. But for now, she just lets the cool air pass by them as they drive down the dirt driveway and pull up to the Chateau.

It looks the same from the last time she was there, just a little lonelier for obvious reasons. Surprisingly it doesn’t hurt her too much to be back, it’s comforting to be there. 

She also expected at least one or two cop cars to be there from the search, but it’s weirdly empty. _Probably thrashed inside though._ She thinks. Still, in the 3 o’clock sun it looks like home. 

JJ looks at her, trying to read her mind as she stares at the house. He has a look of sympathy on his face mixed with a little sadness. 

“I can’t believe their gone, JJ.” 

“Me too Kie.” 

“Wanna go inside?” She asks, he nods and follows her. 

It’s not as bad as she thought inside, still the worst that she had seen it and she had seen it _pretty bad._

“Yikes, this place is awful.” JJ states the obvious. 

She lets out a small smile. “Your the one who wants to stay here.” 

A joke couldn’t hurt, right? 

She plops down on in all the clutter on the pullout sofa in the living room, the one she has stayed the night on too many times to count. 

“I’m not staying with you or Pope, I would just cause more trouble.” He says. It doesn’t even sound like him when he speaks. “You don’t want me around, besides somebody has to keep this place in check, for when John gets... back.” 

Kie takes one look at him and the pain in his eyes is so obvious it takes everything in her not to wrap him in her arms. 

“JJ.” She says, it’s barely a whisper. “You, think they’re really out there?” 

“I mean haven’t you at least thought about it?” His voice is a little more angry now and it breaks her. 

“JJ, all I have thought about since that radio went dead was Sarah and John. B. I can’t think of it anymore...JJ-I keep getting panic attacks, I-I can’t think about it anymore. I can’t handle any more today.” The tears start to slip out, she didn’t want to talk about this, she didn’t want JJ thinking that she wasn’t strong enough to handle herself, but it was too much, there’s too much happening and she’s overwhelmed.

”Kie, hey.” He speaks, it’s in the softest tone she had ever heard him speak.

He plops down next to her on the bed and in one swift moment pulls her too him and pulls his arms around her. 

Her head is spinning, but she loves the feeling of his arms around her.

She hugs him back and rests her head in the crook of his neck and they stay like that for a few moments. She just breathes into him and he rubs her back, sending shivers up through her spine. 

It’s not that he had never comforted or helped her before it was just different. They had been friends since they were 13, and she can specifically remember the time Kyle Kennings called her a slut on instagram. She had cried that night and he had hugged her under the large tree in front of John B.’s house. The next day Kyle had come to school with a busted lip and a cut under his eye. JJ has always been violent, she wonders if this is a side of him that he’s too scared to show. 

“I’m sorry.” She sniffles into him. 

His eyes find hers. “Kie, stop. Don’t say that. It’s just hard right now. W-why didn’t you tell me about the panic attacks?” 

“Your not the only one who doesn’t like to bother people.” She rolls her eyes. “Besides they just started. You and I both had a rough night.” 

“I threw three chairs into the marine.” 

“You what?” Kie answers, a smile is growing on her face. It’s just too random not to react.

JJ starts laughing. It’s the first laugh Kie has heard from him in a while and she loves it. 

“I just took three of Hayward’s chairs and threw them into the marine. They floated for a little, then sunk. Pope and Hayward freaked.” 

He smiles and even though Kie can tell he had totally done it out of anger, it’s nice that he can bring himself to laugh about it. 

“I just assumed you would be drunk or high the whole night.” 

“I was.” He confessed. The mood dropping again. “I couldn’t sleep, not with everything that had happened.”

“I know.” She says, quiet. “I know.”

There’s a moment of silence. She notices something shiny on the countertop. It’s the little silver tea box that she brought over about a year ago. 

It’s open and the tea bags are spilled all over the counter, like the police had been digging through it and searching. 

“JJ, maybe some tea will help?” she says, a slight smile growing on her lips remembering how many times John B. and the boys teased her about it. It was a bittersweet memory.

“Your such a hippie kie.” He says. 

She knows. She knows. 

She makes two cups of chamomile tea, they don’t have hot water so she makes it cold and they sit on the porch as the sun sets. It casts an orange glow over the two of them. She can’t help but admire the way he looks in the glow.

JJ takes a sip and makes a face like it’s sour, but he drinks the whole cup anyway. 

Kie doesn’t think it’s too bad, just a little cold. 

JJ drags out two of the couch cushions into the porch and plops down on one, patting a spot next to him for kie. 

She moves from her spot on the hard porch next to him. 

The sky is getting darker and JJ groans, laying back onto the cushions and staring out across the water. 

“I can’t believe this is really happening.” He says. 

Kie lays down too, noticing how her hand rests just a few inches away from his. 

She tells herself to knock it off. 

“Me neither. I miss them.” She says. She promises herself she’s not going to cry. “I just got close with Sarah again, too.” 

JJ makes a face, as if he is remembering the time they left the two on the boat. 

They lay in silence for a few moments, Kie just watching the way JJ’s chest moves up and down until he speaks again. 

“Tell me something Kie.”

“What do you want me to tell you?” She asks, there voices quiet as the sun is almost fully set. The crickets and bugs chirp loudly in the humid night. 

“Anything. Just something to get my mind off of things.” He reply’s. 

“Why don’t we ask each other things?” 

“Like Sarah’s stupid game of Truth?” 

“It’s not _that_ stupid.” She says. Okay, maybe it is a little stupid, but it is a good game for getting people to confess how they are fe- 

“Are you and Pope...together...now?” He asks, it’s a little hesitant. 

“No.” She says a little too fast. “Well, its just awkward now. I don’t want to hurt him JJ...I just want to be friends again.” 

He nods and she swears she hears him let out a sigh of relief but she might just be imagining things.

”So the kiss...was just a spur of the moment thing then?” 

“Yeah, exactly.” she sighs. “God JJ, i’m such a mess, i’m just _that_ girl that’s been with two out of three of her friends.” And has a crush? feelings? for the third. 

JJ turns his head, resting it on the cushion so he can look at her. “Kie, It’s okay.” He said softly. “Your not, you’ll never be _that_ girl. Your just Kiara.” He lets out a chuckle. “Besides it was bound to happen. We all had a thing for you at some point.” 

He says it, and she’s thanking god that it’s dark enough so he won’t see her blush. 

Well it was pretty obvious he did, but she always assumed it was just typical JJ, flirting with “every girl who has a heartbeat.” according to JB. 

“Oh really?” She smirks. “When was your thing?” 

Oh my god, her heart was beating out of her chest and she’s so surprised she seems so chill on the outside. 

JJ is flustered.

”Remember when we were 13?” He asks.

Oh, she remembers. 

“Yeah.” She smiles. It’s another bittersweet memory of all of them together, before all the craziness and the kook academy and everything. She wishes she could go back then.

“Remember when you beat up that kid that called me a slut?”

“Yeah.” JJ says. “He was a dick. It was worth it though, going to detention and the...hits from my dad.” 

His eyes are dark and hers find his. Her heart beats loudly in her chest. She had known about the JJ beating him up and the detention, but she had never knew about his dad. 

“Oh JJ.” She sighs. She reaches out and gives him a hug and oh my _god_ his arms around here feel like she’s home. He wraps one sturdy around her waist.

“It’s alright Kie, It wasn’t anything new. Besides I would do anything for you.” 

It’s a look she had never seen before, one that made her feel like she wanted, like she mattered, like everything was going to be okay, because even though Sarah and John are missing she felt okay in that moment. 

Ever since she was 13 she had always thought JJ was cool, She had always thought Pope was the smartest person ever. She had always felt like John B. was the brother she never had. And she was the luckiest girl in the world to have them as her friends. 

But right now, under the sky on the porch she felt like maybe since they were little, there had always been feelings there with her and JJ. The way he looked at her, the way he had shown her a side of him that was soft and caring and drank her chamomile tea even though he hated it.   
  


She knew in that moment that she loved him, and it might be the bad timing or selfish while John B and Sarah were gone, but she loved him and there was no way she was going to deny those feelings. 

She lets her face rest in the crook of his neck. 

“JJ, stay the night with me.” 

“Of course, Kie.”


	3. hope after all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> yay chapter three! 
> 
> I keep putting Kei’s name at the beginning of each chapter because I want to eventually do a chapter in JJ’s POV, which I haven’t done yet but I will! 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy!

_Kie-_

Kiara wakes up just as the sun pours into the room, it hits her face as her eyes flutter open.

The first thing she notices is the skin she’s touching, because JJ is sleeping next to her, he’s wrapped around her. Her stomach erupts in butterflies as she feels his arms around her waist and the way she’s pressed into the bare skin of his chest. It’s almost like he’s protecting her in his sleep and she can feel her skin hot against his. _God_ it just made her want to feel _more..._

She remembers last night, crawling in bed and having him join her, hesitant to go under the covers, but she assured him it was fine. She also specifically remembers him sleeping on the far end of John B.’s bed, even though she wished she could sleep in his arms.

She apparently got her wish, because now he had her arms around her and she’s not sure how exactly it happened but it’s the greatest feeling in the world and she almost wishes every morning could be like this one. Content, safe and hidden from all of the anxiety she had to face when she walked out the door.

It doesn’t last too long though, because his eyes flutter open and his cheeks blush when he sees her. She’s looking up at him and his eyes alone are enough to remind her why she’s so desperately in love with this boy.

“Kie, S-sorry.” He says, he pulls his arms off of her, embarrassed that they had touched the little bit of exposed skin due to her T-shirt riding up. “I must have gotten...cold.”

She just blushes. “Yeah. Me too.” She’s honestly surprised he didn’t make a joke about how “badly she wanted him.” or something like that, the old JJ might have, but he’s been different latley. Softer and maybe a little sadder too.

“I should probably go home.” Kie says, even though it’s the exact opposite of what she wants. If she had it her way she would be crawling back in bed with the cute boy and resting her head on his chest, instead of leaving. “My parents are probably freaking.”

He sits up in bed and oh my god he’s shirtless and she definitely doesn’t remember his abs looking that good.

He’s still rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Okay, I’ll drop you off.”

Oh shit, we took the bike here. She remembers, a part of her wishes he just had her car to drive home, so she didn’t have to stay here with all of these new feelings.

“I’m going to the Police station, I’ve spent too much time doing nothing. I think we should be looking for them.” He says. She’ll admit, he’s going a little crazy for it being 9 in the morning, but the pain in his eyes still show.

“JJ.” She sighs. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, you need to go home.” He says, there eyes locking. He gets up and searches around the room to find his shirt. Kie just glues her eyes on the floor.

_I’ll come with you. We need to be with each other right now. I need you, you need me._

She wants to say it, but the words don’t find her lips, maybe it’s the tired speaking, she doesn’t know and she doesn’t think she can handle a day searching for John B. when it hurts to even say his name.

“Thanks.” She just says to him instead.

When she walks through the front door she expects the interrogation she normally receives from her parents but instead nobody’s home.

Her cell phone is still sitting on the dresser when she walks into her room, she’s picked up a bad habit of not having it on her since the constant storms usually killed all of the towers.

There’s two messages from Pope and her parents and she reply’s, telling her mom she’s okay and agreeing to meet Pope later at the Wreck to talk.

In the mean time she showers and lays on her bed as she stares up at the ceiling. She’s still a little tingly from the bike ride home, when she yet again, could feel his body against hers. Life was complicated right now, life was so messy and she didn’t know how to feel. Anxious to talk to Pope, to tell him that she just wanted to be friends, heartbroken over JB and Sarah and scared to tell JJ how she really felt.

_JJ._

She’s loved him for two summers, he’d been crazy and annoying, but loyal and shed always loved him in some way, but she had never thought the feelings would get to this point.

The point where she just wanted to be with him, she wanted to feel his arms around her and ugh she wanted to kiss him. And she felt guilty knowing that they’re friends could be dead, and Pope will be waiting for her at the Wreck in an hour, but she couldn’t help it.

When an hour passes, she stands outside of the Wreck on the porch. She’s already had the conversation with her parents, who assured her she didn’t need to work. It was a little weird, she’ll admit, but right now she’s used to everyone except the Pogues acting a little strange around her.

“Hey.” It’s Pope who walks out of the door and onto the patio. It doesn’t look like he’s gotten much sleep. She doesn’t blame him.

“Hi.” She says. Finding herself moving so she can lean against the railing of the deck.

Pope looks down at the floor boards and she can tell he’s nervous. He doesn’t know what to say, so she speaks for him.

“Look- I didn’t mean too, hurt your feelings I mean, but these last few days have been crazy and I just, don’t think I can deal with anymore craziness.” She sighs. “I just really need a friend right now.”

Her eyes find his and she expected worse, but instead he just gives her a small smile.

“Kie, I understand.”

She lets out a breathe of air and then launches herself at him and he’s surprised but he hugs her back.

“I love you, you know that right?” She says, pulling away. “I love you, as a friend. I’m sorry about the kiss- and how angry I got- I just, your one of my best friends and I want it to stay that way.”

He lets out a laugh. “Kie, I know. I sort of expected that. I haven’t really been myself.”

“Yeah, I noticed.”

He playfully shoves her shoulder, and she laughs, falling against the railing she was leaning on before.

“It hurts a little.” He admits. “But I’ll get over it.”

She gives him a smile of sympathy, it went a lot better than she expected and she can finally just let some of the anxiety leave her body knowing she has him as a friend.

Kie gives him one last hug and turns to head out.

“Oh and Kie?”

She turns around to the sound of his voice.

“JJ is next, to be shot down.” He smiles and she knows he’s joking but it just sinks in her chest heavy, because even if she _wanted_ too there was no way she was shooting down JJ.

Maybe it takes trying with 2 other guys, to find the one your really meant to be with?

JJ calls the Pouges to an “emergency” meeting at the Chateau a couple hours later and comes running into the room with a pile of maps and books.

He gives the two of them an awkward look when they walk in, and Kie just rolls her eyes and assured him that Pope and her were just friends.

She swears she sees him smile and possibly glance at her lips, but she could be imagining it too.

“JJ...” Kie sighs, when she sees him rolling the maps out on the table.

“Guys. These are maps of the entire island. And this...” He points to a second of the map that’s marked with a large X “Is roughly where JB and Sarah went missing, so if we follow the weather patterns and reports from the storm, there might be a way we could figure out exactly where the boat ended up.”

Kie has to admit, it’s a good strategy, but shes knows he’s just hurting and maybe acting out on your emotions isn’t the best plan. Pope speaks first though.

“JJ stop. This isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

JJ is scrambling to try and explain himself more and Pope just grabs his shoulder, laying a firm hand on it.

“Why?” He says, It’s quiet now.

Pope swallows. “JJ, John B. and Sarah are dead.”

The tears are spilling out of his eyes now and JJ’s eyes are filled with rage. Kie can’t help but step in between them before someone gets punched. She just lays a hand on both of them.

“Pope.” She scolds, giving him a face that told him to stop. “Guys, we cant do this right now.”

“What?” He throws his hands up in the air. “Am I the only one here who can say it? Am I the only one who isn’t in complete denial over the fact?”

JJ flings her hand off of him and shoves Pope backward. “I’m not in denial! We don’t know that their dead!”

He’s yelling now and Pope comes back at him, shoving him, JJ just pushes him back and the two of them go at it.

“Guys!” Kie screams, she try’s to pry off them off of each-other but only gets knocked down by Pope in the process. It only makes JJ a little madder. “I’m serious, Knock it off!”

“Yeah, Pope knock it off.” JJ shoves him again and some of the books fall off the table.

“Why should I? Your acting like John B, chasing something that isn’t there. If you keep doing it your going to end up like him!”

Kie does her best to pull JJ away before he punches him in the face and someone ends up in the hospital.

“I’m serious!” Kie screams. She can feel her phone vibrate in her pocket and she’s surprised she even remembered to bring it. _Now is not a good time_ she thinks as she watched the boys fighting in the kitchen. It rings again and deciding that Pope and JJ are a lost cause, she takes her phone out of her pocket.

It’s a weird number and she doesn’t recognize the area code, but something in her gut tells her to answer it so she does.

“Hello?”

“Kie! It’s Sarah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Go check out my One shot book! It’s up! 🤙🏻


	4. i want you near

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here’s chapter 4! I’m thinking about wrapping this story up in a couple more chapters! And I promise I will eventually do one with JJ’s POV haha.  
> Anyways, thanks for sticking around and reading!

_Kie-_

“ _Sarah?”_

Her body goes into shock as she falls backward on the couch, suddenly unable to stay upright on her wobbly knees. The two boys had made their way outside now and hadn’t noticed a thing.

She doesn’t know when the tears start. 

“Kie. We’re here.” She sighs into the phone, like she’s going to cry too.

” _We’re?_ You mean?-“ 

“Kie!” It’s John B.’s voice and he’s breathing a little hard like he was scrambling to get to the phone. Sarah is letting out a string of giggles in the background, as if the two of them are fighting over the phone and it warms her heart to hear them. Safe and _alive._

“I can’t believe it, Y-your here, your okay, _how?”_

“It’s a long story but we don’t have much time, we’re at a payphone. We were able to pawn the gold for some cash in the Bahamas, enough to keep us safe for awhile.” 

“Bahamas?! _What?”_ Kie rambles on, perplexed on how this was even happening. 

There’s a faint sound outside and Kie snaps back to reality for a second.

_The boys._

“Hang on!” She mutters, and she’s running out the door with her phone in her hand and hot tears running down her skin. 

“Kie, we don’t have much time on the phone.” 

She stumbles outside and is sprinting across the Chateau to the spot where JJ and Pope lay on their backs in the grass, breathing hard. 

JJ snaps his head up at her frantic motions.

”Kie? What’s wrong?” His face flooded with concern. 

She doesn’t have time to catch her breath, she just practically screams. 

“John B. and Sarah are _alive.”_

Pope is staring at her like he’s never heard her say anything that crazy and JJ squints up at her, his eyes are hurt. Pope is the first to speak.

“Kiara don’t mess around like that.” 

She grids her teeth and mumbles a strong ”I’m not _messing around.”_ under her breath but there’s no time so she just tosses the phone at him. 

JJ stares blankly at the caller ID, slowly lifting it to his ear.

”Hello?” 

She watches his eyes grow wide before spilling over with tears, they talk for a few more seconds, Pope practically knocking JJ over to reach for the phone before they have to go. 

That afternoon all five of them cried over the phone, happy tears of course. They were able to squeeze a small I love you in before the phone line went silent. 

John B. promised they would find a way home, even if it wasn’t soon because it wasn’t quite safe yet, it was still enough.

Kiara doesn’t know quite what happens next, but JJ’s and Popes arms are around her and they cry more together as they celebrate in the shade of the large tree in the Chateau. Dancing, her head falls onto JJ’s shoulder and he catches her. They are twirling together and screaming, just being themselves. 

It feels _good._

They spend the rest of the day how summer is meant to be spent. Driving in the car, the windows down and the music loud as they drive. 

Kiara steals two beers from the cooler at the Wreck and tosses one to JJ as they sit on the dock out front, the sunset is bright, giving the day a perfect end. 

She kicks her Chucks off and lets her feet dangle off the dock, JJ’s next too and he’s just close enough to rest her head on his shoulder. 

His arm finds her waist.

She looks over to see if Pope notices, or minds, but he doesn’t care. His eyes are too busy watching the sun disappear.

She breathes, for the first time everything is still. 

_She has her boys._ She thinks and she sighs. JJ lets out a small sigh too, his breath hot on her neck. 

“I can’t believe their alive.” Pope says, still a little dazed. 

Kie sips on her beer. “I know.” 

“I told you guys. I’m always right.” JJ smirks. 

Pope rolls his eyes and the three of them sit together until the sky turns dark. 

Pope heads home a few minutes later and leaves the two outside of the Wreck, The outdoor lights have brightened up the place, despite it being closed. 

“What are we going to do until they get back?” JJ asks. He’s still got his arm around her and she doesn’t mind. It feels normal almost. 

“I guess we just keep being...Pouges. We find a way to make it safe for them, try and soak up summer and everything we like about it.” She doesn’t really know what she’s saying, but she sighs, letting her head fall against him again. She hasn’t been this peaceful in forever and it’s surreal. 

“Speaking of what we like...” JJ says, and she can feel the heat radiating from his face. “About s-summer I mean.” 

“Yeah, JJ?” 

She lifts her head to stare into his eyes and her heart beats rapidly in her chest. She can’t help it, the way she is pulled towards him and the way he’s looking at her lips like he’s trying to imagine what they taste like. 

“Kie?” He swallows and she feels her cheeks growing red. “Can I kiss you?” 

“Please.” 

It comes out more like a beg and it makes her grow more red, but her body is practically calling for him, she knows her friends are safe, so now, under the lights on the dock, she won’t regret it if _at last_ he would put his lips against hers. 

He did just that. Grabbing her by the waist and pulling her in to connect their lips. She’s kissing him and she feels like she’s on fire. 

Kiaras kissed a lot of boys, but she wonders if just maybe, kissing someone you love feels different. If it feels like this. 

“Shit, Kie.” He’s breathless and something stirs inside of her, his lips are swollen and she presses a quick kiss to them again. 

She smiles and her heart is beating _so_ fast because this is _actually_ happening and he didn’t turn her away. 

“I think you should know I’m crazy about you.” She says, it’s cringy but the way it makes him look at her is worth it. 

“I sort of have a thing for you too, Kie.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry for taking a while to upload! ☺️


	5. hold my hand (we’re together at last)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s 2 am :)  
> finally updating this story! I was just so unmotivated and thinking that it sucked so much, but i thought it would be better to finish it off than leave it unfinished.  
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> -this chapter is a little spicy oops sorry 🤭

_JJ-_

He doesn’t think it will be easy. He _knows_ its not going to be easy, but hearing her say _she’s crazy about him_ makes him want to fight for her, for another chance to press his lips against hers, because now that he’s kissed her, JJ doesn’t think he can stop. Not now. Certainly not ever. 

He’s staring at her and she’s got wide eyes, her lips are swollen and she runs her tongue over them again, remembering. _Oh my god he wants to kiss her again._

And he does, until they’re both breathless. 

“JJ.” She breathes. “Are you being serious?”

“Serious? Kie, I’ve wanted this since 6th fucking grade.” He admits, because it’s true and she knows it. Well _partially_ , she knows about the flirting but she doesn’t exactly know about the whole “I’m in love with you.” aspect. 

“I’ve wanted this for two summers.” 

His mouth falls open slightly, not able to grasp that the moment was actually happening and his lips attack hers again. 

He also doesn’t expect a full on make out session on the dock, but she’s on his lap in a matter of seconds and he’s not complaining. His mind cloudy from the way their lips connect and her body on his and the only thing he can think about is her. _Kiara, Kiara, Kiara._

After years of pining over her, he decides that nothing has ever felt more right than in this moment. 

“JJ.” 

“Hmm?” He breathes, his kisses traveling too her neck. She lets out a little sound and he smirks. 

“JJ.” She says again. 

“Do you want to stop?” His lips are off of hers in a second, and his heart races. 

_Ten minutes with the girl if you’re dreams and you’ve already fucked up._

“No!-well I think maybe we should...talk about this-Us-I mean. Yeah, Us.” She rambles, her skin is tinted and he thinks it’s probably the cutest thing.

“There’s an _us?” Another smirk._

”Well, _yeah.”_

He smiles wide and their bodies are being pulled together again, this time Kie pulls her mouth more roughly against his, her hands tugging on his hair. Because they’re teenagers after all, and after years and years and _years_ he’s finally getting to kiss her. 

He tucks his arm under her legs and in one swift moment picks her up, he’s surprised he’s able to stand fully with her in his arms and she’s looking at him with awe. 

“Where are we going?” 

“Van.” He states, carrying her down the dock. 

She lets out a laugh. “You know I can walk. No need to show off.”

“Shh, Kie.” He presses his hand to her mouth. “You’re ruining the romantic moment.” 

He almost drops her reaching for the keys in his pocket and he unlocks the van. She laughs as he sets her down. “So romantic.” 

When the doors closed behind them. He stared at her for a moment and her cheeks tint as she moves over to him and they sit together on the floor of the van, Kie straddling him. He can’t quite think straight too. 

“Hi.” She whispers. 

“Hello to you too.” 

His lips connect to hers again and he decides that he will never get tired of kissing her. His warm lips against hers and when he makes his way down her neck she lets out a groan and he smiles, taking a second to look at her. 

“You’re beautiful.” 

“What?” She’s taken off guard. 

“You’re so beautiful Kie. I’ve never told you before, but you’re beautiful and hot, like fucking gorgeous.” 

“JJ, oh my god.” She laughs, but her entire face is red. She can’t help but kiss him again. “I want you.” 

“You know I want you too. I always have.” 

She smiles and his heart pounds in his chest as they kiss each other, their lips already swollen. 

“Are you sure?” He asks. 

She looks at him like he’s her entire world and simple nods.

“Tell me if you want to stop.” 

“Okay.” 

They lay in the grass, his hand in hers and her head resting next to his. The way they like it.

Pope lays next to him, his eyes staring up at the sky, a smile on his lips, his hands play with a blade of grass. 

Sarah has her back rested against John B., they sit together effortlessly as the five of them talk. 

Most days are spent talking, even after a couple weeks of John B. and Sarah being home, they still haven’t told each other everything about the months they were gone. JJ’s not worried though, there’s plenty of time. He’s just glad to have his best friends back. They all are.

They were shocked when they found out about Kie and JJ. Sarah was mostly, but John B. had figured it was only a matter of time before they found each other, even if it was a little messy getting there. 

Pope was better about it then he expected, now he mainly just complaints about being a third wheel, but they’re all happy and that’s what matters most. 

“So you got together the night we first called you?” 

“I knew you were macking on each other after I left!” 

“We weren’t _macking.”_ Kie defends. “That word makes us sound like thirteen year olds.”

”We were totally macking.”

She shoots him a glare but he just kisses her sour (but playful) look off her face. 

“Gross.”

“You and Sarah aren’t much better.” 

“Yeah, didn’t you two _spend a whole month alone together_ in the Bahamas.” 

“I don’t even want to think about what you were doing...”

“She has a point.” Sarah says. She smiles at Kie, because they are both glad to have each other back. 

The day goes on, and the days after that are similar.

Laying in the grass, in the hammock, out on the boat or catching a wave because Sarah _totally needs to practice surfing._

He’ll squeeze her hand in his, he’ll hug her from behind in the mornings, keep her to himself under blankets at night, kiss her senseless. 

Reminders that they made it this far together, JJ will even tell her he loves her and she’ll say it back, without a doubt. 

JJ’s not leaving anytime soon, and neither is Kie. They Pouges have each other and all is well. 

But hey, there’s always another adventure.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my other jiara fic’s too if you want!


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